Method and apparatus for treating and converging fibers



g- 1967 J. M. CURRENT ETAL 3,335,046

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND CONVERGING FIBERS filed Dec. 17, 1962 INVENTORS:

WILLmM F. REA J'onra M. CURRENT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,335,046 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND CONVERGING FIBERS John M. Current, Jerry City, and William F. Rea, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to J ohns-Manville Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 244,988 17 Claims. (Cl. 156-441) This invention relates broadly to method and apparatus for applying treating material to continuous fiber and for converging the fibers into strand form. More particularly this invention relates to apparatus for gathering a plurality of filaments to form a continuous strand as the filaments are being attenuated from a supply source. Still more particularly this invention relates to a device for gathering a plurality of glass fibers or filaments, or other normally abrasive filament material, to form a continuous strand.

In the conventional method of drawing glass fibers from a plurality of streams of glass as such streams flow, or are exuded, from a body of molten glass, it is customary to gather these fibers into a strand before winding them upon a rapidly rotating forming spool to form a package. This rotating spool provides the necessary attenuating force for drawing the multiple streams of glass into very fine fibers or filaments.

It has heretofore been the practice to gather the glass fibers together in the form of a strand by causing them to converge over the tip of a small pad of felt or other material. This pad is usually saturated with a suitable sizing or lubricating liquid in order to minimizethe abrasive forces which exist between the pad and the fibers when they are drawn thereover. Since the strand forming operation is conducted by drawing the fibers at a high velocity, between five and ten thousand feet per minute, it is obvious that a substantial frictional or abrasive force is created between the felt pad and the fibers as the fibers pass over the pad, even when the pad is saturated with a sizing or lubricating liquid. Therefore in actual production, the felt pads tend to wear away quite rapidly and thus require frequent replacement. Also, in order to replace these pads there is necessitated a temporary interruption of the forming operation so that each time a change of pad is required, production time is lost.

It has also been heretofore suggested to provide a device comprising a body of graphite for grouping a multiplicity of glass fibers in strand form asthey are continuously being attenuated. In the testing of some of these devices it has been found that they have a life in the order of 12 to 48 hours when subjected to a continuous operation. While this represents an improvement over the use of felt pads it would constitute an important step in the art it a device could be provided having an increased life. 7

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an improved device for the gathering of fiber material which device has a relatively longer production life and requires less replacement than proper devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide method and apparatus for applying treating material to continuous fibers and converging the fibers into a strand with a minimum of frictional resistance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a continuous fiber gathering device embodying a fiber contact surface area defined by a body having a composition which is resistant to the abrasive action of the fibers.

To accomplish the objects of this invention, the novel apparatus for treating continuous glass fibers and for converging the fibers into strand form, a preferred embodiment comprises means for advancing the fibers in a path 3,335,046 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 ice where the fibers are brought into tangential contact with a continuous belt upon which a uniform film of treating material is distributed across a surface thereof; as the fibers are advanced from the tangential contact position with the belt, they are subjected to the converging action of an annular body having a V-groove at its periphery and an annular peripheral groove at the apex of the V- .groove; the annular body has a wiping surface comprising metal and carbon graphite and having certain hardness characteristics. The wiping surface may be an integral part of the converging body or may be in the form of an insert.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fiber gathering device interposed in operative relation in the path of a plurality of continuous glass fibers as they are advanced from the melting crucible over a coating device; and

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a preferred configuration of gathering device embodying the invention.

The present invention may be used in the formation of strands or yarns from any one of a number of materials such as glass, artificial silk, nylon or cellulose acetate. In the present case, however, the invention will be described in connection with glass since the invention finds particular utility in the production of glass strands.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown .a receptacle 10 adapted to contain a supply of molten glass and having a plurality of small apertures or orifices in the bottom base portion thereof through which molten streams of glass flow by gravity or are exuded from the receptacle. The fibers 11 formed from the streams of molten glass are drawn downwardly at high speed and are gathered into a strand 12 by the action of the fiber gathering device 13 of this invention. While the fibers 11 are being gathered into a strand they are customarily treated with suitable sizing or lubricating liquid by a suitable coating means such as coating device 14.

The preferred coating device 14 includes a pair of r0- tatable rolls 15 and 16 which are spaced apart and adapted to carry a continuous belt 18. The belt 18 is poistioned in a generally horizontal plane with flights 20 and 21 in parallel relationship and a supply of liquid treating material 22 is adapted to be conducted to and deposited upon the top flight 20 of belt 18. A spreading device 23 is positioned in contacting relation with the upper surface of the belt to spread the liquid material supplied to the belts from a suitable conduit 19 me uniform film over the surface of the belt. The rolls 15 and \16 and the belt 18 as a unit are adapted to be movably driven by means of a motor and gear reducing unit 24 suitably connected to one of the rolls such as, e.g., roll 15. a

The fiber gathering device 13 comprises an annular body portion 25 the periphery of which is provided with a V-shaped groove 26 for converging the fibers 11. Formed in the apex 32 of the V-shaped groove 26 is another peripheral groove 33 for receiving the fibers 11. The body portion 25 is also provided with an axial hole 27 for receiving the reduced end 28 of a suitable support rod 29 which may be attached to suitable mounting means 30. A wing nut 31 is threaded on the outer end of the reduced end 28 for securing the body portion upon the support rod 29. Thus means are provided for rotatably adjusting the annular body portion 25 to any one of a plurality of positions along the periphery of groove 26 device 13 may be selectively presented and consequently extend the life of device 13. so that different areas of the wiping member or gathering While it will be apparent that other types of coating devices, such as nozzles, may be employed, it has been found that the best results are obtained when the converging device is used in cooperation with a coating device as illustrated in FIG. 1 and as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,968,278. This type of coating device insures that each of the individual filaments receives coating material thereon instead of the haphazard arrangement wherein coating or treating material is sprayed upon the filaments.

It is the contemplation of this invention to make the gathering device 13 from a composition of so-called metallized carbon graphite materials comprising various metals and carbon graphite material. Metallized carbon graphite materials-are commercially available through suitable sources such as, and are more fully described in a brochure of, the Metallized Carbon Co., Inc., Ossining, New York. The term metals is intended to include metal alloys and other combinations of metals. These metallized carbon graphite materials have a hardness range of 20-80 as measured by the use of the Shore Scleroscope. Normally it would be expected that the metal would have an abrasive action upon the filaments as they are being drawn thereover. However, surprisingly, it has been found that some combinations of metal together with the carbon graphite provide a harder surface than and are most resistant to abrasive than gathering devices formed entirely of graphite material. Also, surprisingly, it has been found that such gathering devices as contemplated by the instant invention have a production life in the order of 600 hours. Yet, these materials have the quality of possessing lubricating characteristics and have provided unusual satisfactory results. Metal-carbon graphite compositions having a Shore Scleroscope hardness generally in the range of 30-60 proved to produce very satisfactory results, however, those having a hardness range of 40-45 appeared to produce the best results.

A converging or gathering device 13 comprising in the order of 1 to 85 percent metal (all indicated percentages are by weight) and 99 to 15 percent carbon graphite will operate efficiently. However, it has been found that best results are obtained when the metal content is in the order of 40 to 60 percent and when the carbon graphite content is in the order of 60 to 40 percent. Convergers comprising metal in greater amounts, surprisingly, have a reduced operating life. A bronze alloy converger with no carbon graphite, made and tried, had an operating life of less than one hour.

In one specific embodiment that has been made utilizing a composition of 50 percent bronze percent and 50:5 percent carbon graphite and having a Shore Scleroscope hardness in the range of 45-50, production runs as high as 600 hours have been obtained. The bronze alloy was composed, by weight, of 70 percent, 15 percent, copper and 30 percent, :5 percent, lead. Other metalcarbon graphite compositions that have been tried and have pr-oven satisfactory although they did not possess the production life that the bronze alloy possessed are silver 17 hours; babbit alloy 18 hours; copper 80 hours; and antimony 400 hours.

In order to further disclose the present invention, the following test results comparing a graphite converger and the above-described bronze alloy-carbon graphite converger of this invention are now given:

Wear Rate (Max. Hours) Bronze Alloy, 45- 55 %Carbon Graphite, 55-45% Type Applicator Binder Graphite Starch Hydrolyzed vinyl 1ane Starch and the resultant strand wound onto a winding mandrel having a hub speed of 4600 r.p.m.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention specifically shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, but that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. The preferred form shown is that of an annulus, however, it will be readily apparent that other geometric configurations may be resorted to so long as the composition comprises a combination of metal and carbon graphite.

There is shown in FIG. 2 the peripheral groove 33 which serves as a reservoir of treating material carried by the filaments as they advance from the coating device 14. The groove 33 also serves to eliminate any chance of the strand splitting. The groove is sufiiciently wide to enable the strand to slide thereacross as the strand is subjected to a traversing action such as traverser 34 shown in FIG. 1. The movement of the strand within the groove frees the groove of any binder which might tend to dry and hence keeps the contact surface well polished.

The advantages arising from the present method and apparatus include positive and uniform coating of each of the individual fibers contained in a strand prior to the fibers being converged into a strand by the action of a converging device comprising material which has an extended production life and which is not abrasive to the filaments.

While the invention has been described in rather full detail, it will be understood that such detail need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What we claim:

1. A device for converging a plurality of fibers into strand form as said fibers are continuously being drawn in contact with said device, comprising a body formed from carbon graphite material reinforced with metal, said body having a grooved contacting portion receiving the fibers, and said body having a Shore Scleroscope hardness in the range of 20-80.

2. Adevice as described in claim 1 wherein said grooved portion is generally V-shaped and wherein said body is provided with another groove formed at the apex of the V-shaped grooved portion.

3. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said body has a Shore Scleroscope hardness within the range of 30-60.

4. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said body is comprised, by weight, of 40-60 percent metal and 60-40 percent carbon graphite.

5. A device as described in claim 4 wherein said body has a Shore Scleroscope hardness within the range of 40-45.

6. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said body is comprised, by weight, of 45-55 percent metal and 55- 45 percent carbon graphite.

7. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said metal is bronze.

8. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said metal is copper.

9. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said metal is antimony.

10. A device for gathering a plurality of continuous glass fibers into a strand, comprising: a body portion defining a V-groove at its periphery, an annular peripheral groove at the apex of the V-groove, and a wiping surface; means for mounting said body to position the wiping surface in the path of the fibers, said wiping surface being defined by a material comprising, by Weight, 45-55 percent bronze alloy and 55-45 percent carbon-graphite.

11. A device as described in claim 10 wherein said bronze alloy is comprised, by weight, of 66-75 percent copper and 35-25 percent lead.

12. A device for gathering a plurality of continuous glass fibers into a strand, comprising: an annular body portion, said annular body portion having a V-groove at its periphery, an annular peripheral groove at the apex of the V-groove, and defining a wiping surface; means for mounting said annular body portion to position the wiping surface in the path of the fibers, and means for rotatably adjusting said annular body portion to any one of a plurality of positions to present different areas of the wiping surface to the fibers, said Wiping surface being formed from a metallized carbon graphite material having a Shore Scleroscope hardness in the range of 20-80.

13. Apparatus for treating continuous glass fibers, comprising: means for advancing a plurality of continuous glass fibers; a continuous belt carried by spaced rotatable rolls; a spreader positioned across an upper surface of said belt; means for supplying a stream of liquid material to said upper surface in front of said spreader in a manner whereby said material is brought into contact with said spreader by the movement of said belt and is distributed over the surface thereof as a uniform film by said spreader; means for positioning said belt to tangentially contact the fibers with said uniform film during movement of said belt; an annular converger body, said annular body having a V-groove at its periphery and an annular peripheral groove at the apex of the V- groove; means for mounting said body to position it in the path of the fibers advancing from tangential contact position with said bel-t, said body being formed from metallized carbon graphite material having a Shore Scleroscope hardness in the range of 20-80.

14. Apparatus for treating continuous glass fibers, comprising: means for advancing a plurality of continuous glass fibers; a travelling continuous belt; means for distributing a uniform film over the upper surface of said belt; means for positioning said belt to tangentially contact the fibers with said uniform film during movement of said belt; a converger for converging the fibers advanced from the tangential contact with said belt, and as the fibers are continuously drawn in contact with a wiping surface, said wiping surface being defined by metallized carbon graphite material having a Shore Scleroscope hardness in the range of 20-80.

15. Apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said material is comprised, by weight, -55 percent bronze alloy and -45 percent carbon graphite, said bronze alloy being comprised, by weight, of 65-75 percent copper and 35-25 percent lead.

16. In the method of forming a strand, the improvement which includes the step of:

converging a plurality of filaments into strand form by drawing said filaments into contact with a grooved converging device formed from metallized carbon graphite material and having a Shore Scleroscope hardness in the range of 20-80.

17. In the method of gathering a plurality of continuous glass fibers into a strand, the improvement which includes the step of:

advancing said fibers over the wiping surface of a grooved converging device to convert said fibers into a strand, which Wiping surface is defined by a metallized carbon graphite material comprising, by weight, 40-60 percent metal and -40 percent carbon graphite.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,202,818 10/1916 Edgecomb 29-1825 2,220,018 10/1940 McKenna 242-157 X 2,373,078 4/1945 Kleist 28-59 X 2,415,196 2/1947 Steinberg 117 2,915,806 12/1959 Grant -3 X 2,968,278 1/1961 Wolfe 118-257 2,977,929 4/ 1961 Whitehurst et al. 3,027,868 4/1962 Amos 118-234 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,169 1913 Great Britain.

MORRIS KAPLAN, Primary Examiner.

40 R. D. NEVIUS, Examiner.

I. A. HAUG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR CONVERGING A PLURALITY OF FIBERS INTO STRAND FORM AS SAID FIBERS ARE CONTINUOUSLY BEING DRAWN IN CONTACT WITH SAID DEVICE, COMPRISING A BODY FORMED FROM CARBON GRAPHITE MATERIAL REINFORCED WITH METAL, SAID BODY HAVING A GROOVED CONTACTING PORTION RECEIVING THE FIBERS, AND SAID BODY HAVING A SHORE SCLEROSCONE HARDNESS IN THE RANGE OF 20-80. 